1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rummy-type card game suitable for use in casinos and other gaming establishments as an electronic table game or a video poker game. The invention further relates to electronic casino gaming wherein the object of the game is to create melds (orders of cards, runs or repetitions of ranks) that may provide wins.
2. Background of the Art
Games based upon variations of poker have attained enormous popularity as casino-type entertainment games, particularly in the last twenty years. The success of poker games in the gaming industry is partially based on the game's simplicity (i.e., there is widespread public knowledge of the game rules) and the fact that players feel more directly involved in exercising judgment in the play of the game.
Many new approaches to poker have been developed for casino table games that can be played on a blackjack-like table, in which the players compete against the house or against a paytable, and in which the house has an edge or percentage advantage. These poker variations now rival the popularity of blackjack in many venues. Specific variants include Let It Ride® poker, Caribbean Stud Poker® game, Three Card Poker® game, Four Card Poker™ game and 3-5-7 Poker™ game. Each of these games is poker-based; i.e., decisions are based on a knowledge of traditional poker rules and basic standard poker rankings. This makes these games appealing to many players who fully understand the intricacies of poker's gameplay decisions, ranks, probabilities and payout possibilities. The aforementioned games are most often played on a traditional felt table, with a live human dealer dealing the cards, and resolving the wagers. This is easily accomplished due to the simplicity of each game, the relatively few amount of cards in each hand, the straightforwardness of any decision-making, and the lack of complexity in resolving the wagers.
It has been problematic to create a more complicated casino game for a table, since dealing a larger number of cards or permitting multiple decisions on the player's part slow the game and therefore lessen the house take. The house has a built-in edge on virtually any gambling game, so reducing the number of hands played in a particular time period decreases the revenue for the casino.
Manufacturers of casino products have recently turned their attention to electronic table games. These games rely on a table that has at least individual player monitor screens and a computer processor. As in internet card play, the gameplay is accelerated, providing more decisions per hour, and thus more revenue for the casino. Another appealing aspect of electronic table gaming from the casino's point of view is that a live dealer may not be needed, reducing personnel costs. And even if a dealer is required, he may not need to be professionally trained, as the processor will handle any complex decisions, results or compensations. To date, however, the majority of offered electronic table games are simply electronic versions of traditional felt-top games. Although the number of hands per hour is increased, the gameplay does not take advantage of the possibilities provided by the computer processor. Examples of electronic casino table card play systems include at least Published U.S. Patent Applications Nos. 20050090304; 20060055114; 20060058083; 20060058085; 20060058088; 20060058090; 20060058091; 20060058092; 20060058093; 20060068498; 20060068864; 20060068865; 20060068866; 20060068867; 20060068868; 20060068869; 20060068870; 20060068871; 20060068879; and 20060068899 (PokerTek, Inc. applications); 20050164759; 20050164762; (Shuffle Master, Inc.); and 20060199629; 20060205472; 20070015561; 20070049368; 20070049369; 20070072663; 20070072664; 20070142107; and 20070281786 (Sines et al.).
It would be advantageous to invent a more complex game for electronic table gaming that takes advantage of processing abilities and relies on familiar game patterns, yet provides revolutionary decision-making choices while accelerating the pace of the game.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,246,799 (Snow) discloses a method of playing a wagering card game for a number of players using standard playing cards having a standard rank and involving standard poker hand rankings that comprises: each player placing at least four distinct wagering parts to participate in the game; dealing three cards to each player and at least two common cards, all of the at least two common cards being dealt face down; giving each player the chance to examine the cards received by that player and to withdraw at least a first part of the at least four distinct wagering parts wager based on the rank of the player's cards prior to one of the at least two common cards being dealt face down being exposed; showing the at least one common card, thereby providing at least a partial hand for each player, each player's at least a partial hand comprising the shown at least one common card and the cards each player was dealt; allowing each player to withdraw a second part of the at least four wagering parts and forfeiting a third part of the at least four wagering parts; showing at least one more common card to expose all common cards that had been dealt face down; and resolving each player's remaining wager based on the rank of that player's hand, which remaining wager was not withdrawn.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,975 (Fox, et al.) describes a card game that is preferably played on an electronic video gaming machine in which a single player plays against a pay table. The player makes a wager for each of two or more hands that the player wishes to play. The player selects a poker hand format for each hand, with no two hands having the same poker hand format. After the player has made his wagers and selected the poker hand format for each hand, the computer controls deal out face up each initial five card hand of poker in each poker format selected by the player. The player selects none, one or more of the face up cards from each hand as cards to be held. The non-selected cards are discarded from each first hand and replacement cards are dealt face for each discarded card. The poker hand ranking of the resulting final five cards of each hand are then determined. The player is then paid a preestablished amount based on the amount of each wager if the resulting cards of each hand comprise a predetermined poker hand ranking.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,943 (Awada) teaches an invention in which, in one of three table games and in one of two games played on a gaming machine, three card Stud Poker, five card Stud Poker and seven card Stud Poker are combined. In a second table game, five card Stud Poker and Seven Card Stud Poker are combined. In a third table game three card Stud Poker and seven card Stud Poker are combined. In a second game played on the gaming machine, five card Draw Poker and seven card Stud Poker are combined.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,759 (Webb, et al.) discloses a casino wagering game that comprises 1) placing a wager to participate in the game; 2) a dealer dealing a hand of three cards to each player who placed a wager; 3) resolving the player hands against a plurality of predetermined winning poker outcomes; and 4) paying each player odds whose hand consists of a predetermined winning outcome. The present invention comprises a casino style wagering game against a dealer, comprising the steps of placing a wager, dealing a three card poker hand to each player, dealing at least three cards to the dealer, and paying the player on the bet when a poker rank of his hand exceeds the rank of a dealer's hand. In a preferred form of the invention, the hierarchy of poker hand ranking differs from that of standard five card poker.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,279 (Moody, et al.) teaches gameplay in which an initial hand of three cards is dealt to the player and three community cards are dealt face down. The player decides which cards to hold and which cards to discard. For each card that is discarded, the player uses one of the community cards as the replacement card. If the player discards one card, Card #1 is used as the replacement card. If the player discards two cards, Card #1 and Card #2 are used as the replacement cards. If the player discards all three cards, Card #1, Card #2 and Card #3 are used as the replacement cards. After the player has made his decision, all of the community cards are turned face up and the outcome of the player's final three card hand is determined. Winning and losing outcomes are determined based on a pay table and the amount of the player's wager.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,717 (Richardelle) discloses a method of playing a card game that is made up of steps dealing a first hand consisting of a first predetermined number of cards, requiring one or more players to each elect whether or not to play a second hand, comparing each of the first hands to determine whether or not they constitute a winning hand, dealing a second hand consisting of a second predetermined number of cards and including the first hand, comparing each of the second hands using a predetermined ranking as a criterion for comparison to determine a winning hand, and designating as a winner each player who had a winning first hand and/or a winning second hand. The first predetermined number of cards consists of two cards, and the first hand is played as a Blackjack hand. The second predetermined number of cards consists of a number of cards, in addition to the cards drawn by each player for the Blackjack hand, to make up a poker hand. Each player is required to place a bet before each step of dealing the first and second hands, and they are paid after the step of designating winning players. Such step of paying the winning player(s) includes the step of paying the winning player according to the odds set forth in a predetermined table depending upon the poker rank of the winning hand(s).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,456 (Gajor) describes a method that involves card games in which the player plays multiple hands of cards during one play session. The cards are dealt out in horizontal fashion and may include three card, five card, seven card or higher card games. The player may wager on each horizontal row of cards dealt separately and each row of cards will be played as a separate poker game. The player may also make a separate wager (Parlay Wager) that will payoff if multiple winning hands are obtained in one play session. Additional versions of the game also provide for additional wagering. For example in a three card three hand game, the horizontal dealing of the cards are such that each row of cards are situated in sequential order so that first hand is directly over the second hand and the second hand is directly over the third so that a three card by three card matrix is created. In addition to having the ability to wager and win the three hands drawn in horizontal fashion and the parlay wager for multiple winning hands, the player also has the ability to win five additional ways (i.e., three vertical paylines and two diagonal combinations paylines).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,012 (Jones, et al.) discloses a card game variant that enables players to compete in the familiar format of a rummy-type game against other players in a live cardroom format. In a preferred seven-card embodiment, players initially ante, then receive two cards face down and one card face up from a non-playing dealer. Players electing to continue play after a forced bet or fold option each receive additional cards, one at a time with each card followed by a betting round, to complete a seven card hand consisting of three face down cards and four face up cards. The point count totals of the hands of each remaining player are then determined and compared, with each Ace counting 1, each deuce counting 2, etc., and with tens and face cards each counting 10. Each spread consisting of three or more suited cards in sequence or three or four of a kind counts zero (0). The object of the game is to have the lowest point count total, and the winning player(s) are awarded the accumulated wagers or pot.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,067 (Jones) discloses a card game variant that enables players to compete in the familiar format of a rummy-type game against the house. In a preferred five-card embodiment, players initially ante, then receive four cards face down from the dealer, while the dealer received three cards face down and one card face up. Players electing to continue play after a bet or fold option and the dealer each receive one more card face down to complete a five card hand. The point count total of the hand of each remaining player and the dealer are then determined and compared, with each Ace counting 1, each deuce counting 2, etc., and with tens and face cards each counting 10. Each spread consisting of three or more suited cards in sequence or three or four of a kind counts zero (0). The object of the game is to have a lower point count total than the dealer. The dealer only plays when his hand totals 32 or lower. Any player possessing a hand having a point count total less than that of the dealer's hand wins and receives a payout, with hands having some predetermined point totals receiving a bonus amount designated in a payout table. If the dealer's hand totals more than 32, then each player is paid 1 to 1 on his ante and all other bets are cancelled. The game may be played in both live table and electronic video poker formats.
United States Patent Application No. 20060246976 (Sines) describes methods of playing a wagering game of chance, including defining a payout schedule, dealing an initial hand to at least one player, and accepting a final bet from the at least one player so as to define at least one final betting player. Other method steps include dealing one or more community cards, wherein at least one of the community card is selectively combined with at least one card within each initial hand such that a final hand is defined for each final betting player, and awarding a payout to each final betting player holding a final hand that so qualifies in accordance with the payout schedule. Other embodiments provide for respective gaming tables and individual gaming machines including respectively electronic controllers, each controller configured to execute one or more method steps in accordance with the present embodiments provided for herein.
United States Patent Application No. 20060151952 (Encinas) teaches a wagering game for casinos consisting of 1) participation by placing a wager; 2) a table games dealer who delivers multiple cards to all wagering players; 3) the table games dealer delivering three community cards; 4) resolution of all cards played based upon predetermined combinations of cards; 5) paying all wagers odds based upon a predetermined set of winning combinations. The current invention consists of a casino type wagering game to achieve payable combinations of cards, comprising the steps of placing a wager, dealing a multiple card hand to each player, dealing three community cards, having each player choose one community card to construct a complete poker hand, and paying any player who achieves a predetermined winning combination of said hand.
United States Patent Application No. 20060066051 (Nicely) discloses a card game and method of playing the card game. The card game involves placing cards into pre-defined card positions in the form of grids or matrices. For example, a 3.times.3 grid is filled with nine cards. Game outcome combinations are defined by three horizontal, three vertical and two diagonal pay lines. Another grid arrangement includes a 3.times.3 grid with each row and column having an extra card position at each end thereof. Accordingly, after the 3.times.3 grid is filled with random cards, a player may select one or more pay lines after which the two extra card positions are filled. The player is paid for any winning hands formed of the five card defined by the selected pay lines. Countless grid arrangements and pay lines are conceivable. In other versions, the player may replace one or more initially dealt, displayed or otherwise provided cards. The card game and method disclosed herein may be played through an electronic gaming device, over the Internet or at a live gaming table with a dealer.
United States Patent Application No. 20040038720 (Valente) describes a method for playing a card game by a plurality of players. The game is a variation of Gin Rummy and has two pots including wagers by the players. The method includes the steps of pairing the players; providing a deck of cards to each pairing; establishing a target numerical value for completion of the card game and having each of the players of a pairing place a first wager on results of a play of a hand of the card game in a first pot and all of the players place a second wager on results of a complete play of the card game in a second pot. Play begins when a cards are dealt to each player in a pairing in a face down manner, one card is placed in a face up manner and the remaining undealt cards are placed in a face down manner. A first player draws one card from either a top card of the remaining undealt cards or the face up card. The first player then discards a card and, if possible, signals an end of a hand of play. End of play of a hand is followed by each player of the pairing displaying their playing cards; determining a difference in unmatched cards held by each player; tallying a score for the signaling player, in accordance with predetermined rules; and paying the signaling player the first pot. The game ends when at least one of the players achieves a score that is greater than the target numeric value and the player is paid the second pot.
Published U.S. Patent Application No. 20030075869 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,288,081; 5,437,462; 5,544,892; 6,019,374; 6,273,424; 6,334,614; and 6,454,266 (Breeding) discloses a game in which and initial multipart wager is placed and a limited number of the parts of the wager may be withdrawn during play of the game, while the game continues to be played.
Each of the references discussed in this text art are incorporated herein in their entirety for all purposes including enablement of multiplayer platforms and structures for execution of games according to the present invention.
It is an ever-increasing challenge to provide electronic card game players with new and enticing gameplay features that will stimulate player interest and increase time at the table or the machine.